The National tribune., 1887-09-22
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What 0w Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
TIE VALLEY CAMPAIGN.
A Malnc Comrado Roricws Pabllshea Accom-


weeks later in the Trade Rcriclr published al
Seaalia. No, 1 noticed an able ~ review Of
"Thp Valley Campaign Of . Years Ago, un-
der the various captions Of St0newall Jack
sons Raid - Shenandoah Valley Campaign"
"kemst0wn or Winchester" " March and
CouuieFmarch," and Cross Keys and Port Re-
rublcn Though the writer Of the communi-
cation wields Ais pen like one " 10 the manner
born" he is not prevented from making several
very wild mistakes. lie spread it on too thick
in some instances aud TOO thin in Others. For
en illustration, in his learned disquiSiton en-
titled March and Counternarch,' he says:
Banks had pursued jackson az far south rs Iiar-
ri~oalurg. lie ll}Huiss) had about 6OjO men alter
Shiclds's Division taken away. Thus Banks
was iu the rear 81 Jackson.
The writer then proceeds 10 portray the bat
tie of BUN Pasture, between Gen. jackson and
Gen. Mlroy, the latter defeated. Then, atter
the depression, he returns 10 Banks and con-
tinue5:
Immediately afor this figlt OBull Pasture. Nc
DoWen Sultingsons lIiil, Banks reiterated 10
Stulsburg. 80 miles north. 1here he fortified HIM
self so us 60 protect the Baltimore a. Ohio Rail-
road 81 miies further north. Hating not 10 rest,
jackson pushed on after the Federal troops. lav-
ing driven back M!lroy aud Schenck, the next
move the chCsshoard was Tor hlm 10 crush
Banks, weakened as he was by the Withdrawal OF
Shicdss Division. jackson therefore turnea hls
altcntlunto Banks. Flying around 10 the
eastward again, after the battle OF Mcdowell,
jackson came 10 Front Royal. Al tiis point, aud
between him aud Banks a Strasburg, lay Col.
Kcnlv with 400 Federal troops II jackson
could Hunihilate ths force the connection between
tic armies OF Banks and Mcdowell would be
broken
tack Col KcEly's little band nj Front Royal
and cut ID 10 pieces. THIS the third battle oi
the Shenandoah campaign; There was nothing
now between SioncWRl jackson and Banks
Banks rctrcutcd with his small force yet further
north. lie lef Slrasburg and started for Nln-
chester.
ID was now a race and chase between Banks
and jackson 10 the Potomac. II jackson paused
t the forces of Fremont or Mcdowell could come
mp lac would be cut 10 pieces. lie therefore deter
mined To push on, surround Banks II possible, and
destroy lis army before u could be reinforced.
lie pursued Banks holly, and once more the
old town Of Winchester became the scene ol a
f,.ht, tAe fourth ia the campaign. Banks kept
back for several hours the advancing Conieder-
ates. This was May "a and 25. But the southern
suldiers poured in Ia larger aud larger numbers.
There nothing hut 10 run for IL. From Win
chester Banks re,rcated To Mariinsburg. lie only
waited here two hours, when he was up ana away
again. At sunset May -, Banks reached thePoto-
mae River at Miiliamsport. To get on the Mary
land SIDE Of the river was the next thing.
The broken army had rctreated IN confusion,
leaving great quantities of stores behind them.
jackson had literally driven them iuto the Poto-
mae. Into the river they plunged. The ferry took
across the ammunition train, the cavalry swan
their horses, thc wagon trains crossed by the lord
and the infantry were conveyed over 10y means o!
a pontoon bridge. which had been brought down
the valley from the Upper Shenandoah. AT last
the remnant of Gen. Bauks's broken army was all
across ius Ia time, for II tila moment jackson APP
pcnreu opposite on The Virginia side o tle l'ooac
Having been there at the time this inaccurate
historian refers TO, possibly i can straighten
some of the numerous kinks in his narrative
in the FIRST place, Col. Kenly had his own regi-
ment-Ist Md, numbering $50 men, and the
larger part OF the company OF Zouayes which
was Gen. Bankss body-guard-al told not TO
exceed $50 men; not 400 as the writer stated.
The next assertion that desire TO contra
dict fhp Sfnfnmpuf that % Nav ss he
made a fierce attack on Col. Konlys little band
at Front Royal, and cut IL 10 pieces" The
fact is jackson did not go 10 Front Royal, but
sent Gen. Ewell instead with 10000 troops,
while he (Jackson) held Banks at Strasbuig.
StrasbuTg is distant from Winchester 25 miles,
and Front Royal but 10. Before jackson had
reached StTasburg by several miles Ewell was
sent of toward Front Royal, and it was ex-
pocted that he would eliectually defeat Kenly
and his MaTylanders by the time Banks reached,
or ut least left, Strasburg. Then Ewell, having
six miles less 10 march to reach Winchester, the
objective point, than Banks had, he could easily
gcJthero first But the brave and heroic ISenly
fought stubbornly for four hours, and contested
every foot of ground for seven miles; conse-
oEemtly by the time Ewell had accomplished tho
few minutes labor of brushing Kenly aside
Banks, having improved the time had nearly
reached Winchester. These events transpircC
on Saturday, May24, instead Of the 23d. Many
Of Col. Kenly's men and his baggage-train n
escaped 10 the mountains, thus avoiding cap
ture.
Gen. Ewell, after defeating Kcnly, instead
OF marching directly 10 Winchester, took
circuitous route, leaving Winchester two oi
three miles 10 the left, and halted his forc'
about that distance northeast of the town, JUS
before reaching the railroad leading to Har
pcrs Ferry.
The next error is where he asserts that Bank
"only waited two hours i'm Martnsburg,'
when the truth is he did not make any hal
there. He further states: /" At sunset May p
Banks reached the Potomac River ut Williams
port" II should read reached the Potoma
River opposite Williamsport."
lie then declares: jackson had literall,
driven them into the Potomac Into the rive
they plunged. The ferry took across the am
Fnuniton- train, the cavalry swan their horses
the wagon trains crossed by the ford, and tn
infantry were conveyed over by means Of
pOBtOon bridge etc Such scnseless twaddl
as this neither sounds well nor looks well o
paper; but his following statement is evcl
farther removed from the semblance OF trutl
than this. He says: AT last the remnant q
Gen. Bankss broken army was all across Jus
I'm time FOR at that moment Jackson appearc
opposite, on the Virginia side Of the Potomac.
The infantry did not cross on a pontoo
bridge, as there was no such thing there 10 eros
upon. We slept on the Virginia bank of th
liAEt Liihb hlENA anu were in no nHifN 10 eros
the next morning, for jackson was four mile
from us and did not approach any nearer Will
we remained at Williamsport. j am incline
70 think bat trifling force followed us farthc
than Martinsburg, III miles distant.
Ilearsay is not a valuable or reliable sOurC
from which TO acquire information, and an
person attempting TO write history" shoul
be extremely careful Of his authority. Otter
times in correct history minute details m
meagcr, but the writer Of the article retrre
10 got them in, especially the erroneous ones.
Into the river they plunged !" Truth is ~
80 elastic rs that Not q single soldier
Banlgs's army plunged into the water unit
two days later we went bathing IN the cans
Judging from the tone Of the entire artic
in controversy, the writer doubtless cOnsiderc
Jackson an unusually brave competent an
efficient commander. lie was familiar wit
every Hill aud valley, every crossroads Gov
path aud goat-track IN all that country m
with from $4,000 TO 10000 men he would (.
suddenly upon 5000 or 6,000, and after sever
hours severe lighting succeed IN forcing the
back. Nothing exceptionally efficient or ev
ordinarily smart about that. History will be
me out when i assert that whenever he N
anything like equal numbers Of Yankees
battle he was invariably defeated, and f.;
lossiy defy anyone 10 prove 10 the contrary.
have nothing TO say against Gen. jackson as
good Soldier and q competent one but wheI
General never wins victory unless lac possess
great advantage in point Of numbers over !
adversary, he Is not superior TO one who son
times wins victory in r0ugh-and tuml
catcl-as-catch-c 6kirmsh.--NIEGH TIA
20. III 10Th MO.. lnclpde. Mo-